Sue turned a startled face over a shoulder. And at once she was only a small girl caught in naughtiness. "Oh,—er—ah—good-morning," she stammered. "I—er—I've got everything but the kitchen stove." She made to a bench and let all her purchases fall. "Mrs. Balcome,—how—how is mother?"
"You care a lot about your poor mother!" retorted Mrs. Balcome.
"You'll send her gray hairs in sorrow to the grave!"
Balcome winked at Sue. "Hebrews, ten, thirty-six," he reminded roguishly. "'For ye have need of patience.'"
"Well, dear lady, just what have I done?" Sue sank among the packages.
"I say you're responsible for this—this unfortunate turn of affairs."
"If you'd only let things alone yesterday," broke in Wallace; "if you'd stayed at home, and minded your own affairs."
"So you could have deceived Hattie."
"No! You've no right to call it deception. That's one of your new-woman ideas. This is something that happened long ago, before I ever met Hattie—and it's sacred——"
Hattie burst out laughing. "Sacred!" she cried. "Of course—an affair with the wife of your host!"
"Hattie!" warned Mrs. Balcome.